Lamine Yamal, Lingard, and Marcus Rashford chatted animatedly in the tunnel of the Seoul World Cup stadium. Before leaving, Lamine Yamal gestured for Lingard's shirt, which was draped around his neck, and the request was immediately granted.

Earlier, both players participated in the FC Seoul - Barca friendly, where Lamine Yamal scored two goals in the Spanish team's 7-3 victory. This marked the 18-year-old forward's first goals since inheriting Barca's legendary number 10 shirt. He did not score in the friendly against Vissel Kobe on 27/7.

"Scoring in this shirt was a childhood dream of mine. It's very special," the Spanish winger said.

Lamine Yamal is currently considered one of the best young players in the world. Over the past year, he has helped Spain win the Euro and Barca secure La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. Along with Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha, he is a strong contender for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

Lingard was equally proud to receive Lamine Yamal's shirt, alongside the number 14 shirt of Marcus Rashford, his former Manchester United teammate who recently joined Barca on loan. He posted a photo of the two shirts side-by-side on social media.

Lingard shakes hands with Yamal before the FC Seoul - Barca match on 31/7. Photo: *Chosun*

Lingard made 232 appearances and scored 35 goals for Manchester United. In 2022, having lost his starting position, he left Old Trafford to join Nottingham Forest. In 2/2024, the midfielder, who has 32 caps for England, joined FC Seoul. He has since scored 13 goals in 51 appearances for the club and is currently the captain.

Barca will play their next friendly in South Korea against Daegu on 4/8. On 10/8, they will conclude their pre-season preparations with the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como.

Thanh Quy (*Sun*)